SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Hello!

It's a WARMIN UP!!!! YES YES YES. Happiness. Pure happiness. People are happy. New York is a much happier place with some warmth in the air. We FINALLY got to do some real street contacting. We were in Central Park quite a bit!! CENTRAL PARK IS MY FAVE. I even got to take off my coat a few days!!! SO TENDER. I loved it.

    

hahaha

Today's P day activities will consist of:
*Buying yogurt and sitting on the steps at the MET. Hahah. (If you've watched gossip girl you will understand)
*Shopping. (it's not like I have money to blow) window shopping is
therapeutic to me. Helps me remember who I am HAHA.
*We might go to the Empire State Building today. We'll seeee.
But I love New York City if you didn't know.

It was a slow but good week! Not very many teaching appointments. Lots of contacting and tracting. Just gotta smile my way through it and know that the mission is only temporary! Random thought- I have noticed something about myself on my mission, and that is that I am just a HAPPY person. I don't really get super discouraged when things don't work out perfectly. I know that Heavenly Father is helping me to have a good attitude about everything. I'm so grateful. My companion and I are going to fast together and pray so hard that we will have more people to teach that have REAL INTENT. We do have people to teach.. Which is good. But we want some more real intent if you know what I'm sayin. I wish I could write more about all the people we are teaching. But emailing is just overwhelming haha.

We have a BAPTISM coming up. March 21st! Woohoo! We've been teaching a man named ️Ores all the lessons and he is awesome. He's older. Like 58ish. And from Haiti. It's really exciting because the first time he actually met with missionaries was in Haiti when he was a high schooler!! And he just decided about a month ago that he wanted to be baptized. He wasn't even meeting with missionaries before us. So that's real great!! He is golden.

   

I wanted to share some thoughts on OBEDIENCE! again I hope my thoughts tie together at the end of this. So just keep reading ;)
Okaaaaay. So I think obedience is something that actually turns a lot of people away from the church. I have talked to so many people that say things like "I don't do well with rules" or "I can live my life FINE without obeying these silly little rules" or "I don't want to live my life that way" "I'm a free spirit.." Blah blah etc! You know? Haven't we all heard that? Or be honest, have you FELT that yourself? I mean if we are ALL being honest, it's only the natural thing to feel. It's NATURAL to want to be "a free spirit with no rules"... at least I think it is.
Let me share with you some rules in the mission life.
*be home at 9:00. 9:30 if you're teaching. NO LATER
*be in bed, lights off at 10:30. NO LATER
*wake up at 6:30 on the dot NO LATER. (If you wake up at 6:33 you're disobedient in the eyes of a missionary) we wake up at 5:30 so that's not a prob for us. Mornings are ughhhhh!!
*EXERCISE every morning. If you don't work out you're SINNING.
*Be kneeling down praying at EXACTLY 8:00 for studies. If it's 8:03
you're guilty. Haha.
*Begin companionship study AT 9:00.
*leave the apartment at 10:00 to proselyte.
*NO thinking about anything other than MISSIONARY WORK. (For example: my weakness is I LOVE TO SING AND HUM Taylor Swift music.) and that = unconsecrated. Rough life!!
*If I even THINK about thinking about home that = unconsecrated.
*no holding children. (This one kills me it's really hard) but I
humbly obey the rule.
*basically, use your agency, and be a missionary robot. Hahah. (Anyone that knows me, knows that I do not want to be a robot.) but keep reading. Haha OKAY. So those are just a FEW mission rules. Now my friends.. You want to talk about the NATURAL man in me? I am not afraid or embarrassed to tell anyone that these rules are a challenge for me. For example: 
it seems pretty innocent to me if I hold a baby. Here's the natural man thoughts in me..."for crying out loud I am a girl who loves babies WHY can't I hold the cute children? What harm will I cause? I just want to hold a baby." I think others feel the same as me. but I'm just not afraid to be REAL and admit it. Because this is real life. I am human. I want to hold a child. But I cannot.
The mission is TURNIN THE HEAT UP. You think obeying the word of wisdom is hard? Come be a missionary. :)  Missionaries are to live the higher law. This level of discipleship is unlike anything else. Living at this level of discipleship takes mega humility. The mission is like a refiners fire. And the missionaries are like gold! Haha we crank up the heat a bazillion times and then we are PURIFIED like gold. Yeah. It's good stuff.
Now let me share some scriptures of a perfect example of obedience.
This is Adam. (You know Adam and Eve? Our first parents?) okay. This
is after they had been driven out from the Garden of Eden and the Lord commanded them to multiply and replenish the earth and to till the land and etc.
Moses 5:5-6
5. And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the
Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for
an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was OBEDIENT unto the commandments of the Lord.

6. And AFTER MANY DAYS an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam,
saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said
unto him: I KNOW NOT, save the Lord commanded me.
OKAY. So the angel is like Adam why are you doing this? He's like I don't know, I'm doing this but I don't know why? Other than God asked me to. THAT LEVEL OF OBEDIENCE Is what we ALL need. Too often, I have questioned (in missionary world) why do I have to get up at this time? Why does p day end at 6:00? Why studies right at 8:00? Why can't I hold a baby? (Okay I know a lot of the answers why.. but lots of times it can be easy to think I am the exception to the rule.) in real world it might be things more like why do I have to keep the sabbath day holy? Why can't I stay out longer than my curfew? Why can't I do this and that etc. (and most people know why. But think they are the exception to the rule) you follow me?? Yeah?
We MUST Be completely loyal and follow father Adams example. "I know not save the lord god commanded it." We must set aside our pride and just be humble. Humility you guys!!! So important. As I continued to read I found that after Adam obeyed he was blessed with the spirit.

9. And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed.

So to close my long email.. I just want to leave a short little testimony on obedience.

I KNOW that when we are exactly obedient we ARE blessed. The lord is
BOUND to bless us when we obey. I have witnessed it in my life. I
promise you Heavenly Father is there. And he is our smart awesome
amazing glorious FATHER. He wants to help us. and he will!! AS we
align OUR WILL with His. I LOVE this work. And I love you allllll!

   

Love Sister Abbs Dunford

I still LOVE New York

Hello!! 

What a good March daaaaay. Its quite cold and rainy. So today I'm taking my companion to a cute bakery where they have the yummiest grilled cheese sandwich and tasty warm tomato soup!! and the view from this cute bakery is amazing. It will be such a good day. We just got back from trader joes and later we will be headed to the 9/11 MUSEUM. Last week we just walked around the memorial and Sista Spencer was dying to go inside the museum. So it will be great!!. I could spend 12 hours in that museum. I think we'll head over to China town as well today. Maybe we'll stop and see if Taylor Swift is home too. Hahaha. ;) P days are way too good to us.

Aaahahaha. 

You guys I just wanted to start off my email and tell you how many people I have seen SLIP and fall this last week. (Insert falling New Yorker video clips) haha #iwish. I can't explain how hard It is to not laugh out loud. Hahahahaha. Thank heavens nobody has been injured yet. (That I've seen) sheesh. Laughing all day long. Too many slippin New Yorkers. Sister Spencer slipped yesterday and we were DYING. I don't think I have laughed that hard in a loooong time. It was snowy and she just face planted right on the sidewalk. HA HA. I shouldn't be laughing watch I will be next. 

Other than the snow and cold it was a fabulous week. 

*We had interviews with President Morgan! He really made me feel loved. I almost wanted to cry at how good he made me feel. Told me he was so proud of me. SO good. I love that man. I LOVE HIM. He is a man of God.

*We got like a bunch of referrals. YES. Hard work pays off.

*We found a new man to teach and he told us the spirit COMMANDED him to meet with us.. Which was cool. He is on the search to find out if the Book of Mormon is true or not..!! I love those real intent truth seekers!! They're the best.

*We ate dinner at my fave restaurant and two ANONYMOUS people PAID for our meal.. (So tender)

*Sister Spencer told me I should have my own reality show. She laughs so hard at my every day life sayings and actions. I didn't think I was that funny but apparently it's entertaining hahaha!

HAhA you guys.Funny story. Mom don't stress it was funny. 

We were tracting one day and we knocked on this door at the end of a hallway.. And right after I knocked I heard a loud growl. HAHA. A growl. Like a tiger/dog. I go hello "it's the missionaries from the...." And then I hear a voice telling me we were at darkness's home. and we needed to turn around or we would be dragged down to the depths of hell. THAT was weird. Hahahah. Sister Spencer was horrified!!! I felt so bad. We ran off. (The things missionaries experience) just gotta throw in some honest true missionary moments for ya.

This last week I was reading through my study journal and I couldn't help but tear up seeing the personal growth I've seen in myself!! WOAH YOU GUYS HOLY COW. I have grown soooo much. Never did I ever think I would have this strong of a testimony. I. love. My mission. And New York will forever hold a special special place in my heart. In a way.. New York will be a sacred place for me. A place where I came to know my savior. My own little "Waters of Mormon." cool huh? 

--A call to REPENTANCE-- 

(I hope my thoughts will tie together at the end of this..) 

So on Friday we got together as a WHOLE mission at the Manhattan Temple/church building and we were privileged to hear from Elder David F. Evans and Elder Stephen B. Allen! From the missionary department. They came with more guidance and direction on our digital media! So just a brief explanation of what was talked about: They basically just called us, (all the missions and missionaries that have digital media,) to repentance! Don't get me wrong they were AWESOME. They told us that the meeting was not REALLY about iPads or media or facebook etc. but it was about TRUE DISCIPLESHIP. It was definitely one of those awakening repent moments for all of us missionaries!! The church is sending authorities to talk to every mission that has had digital media. (To give more direction and council.) Which is definitely needed. So many missionaries are like, "what on earth am I supposed to do with this Facebook account as a missionary!?" It's crazy that we have such a thing. Haha like everyone knows Facebook is designed as a form of entertainment and connecting with loved ones from far away and posting pictures and etc. So to give 18-22 year olds a Facebook account while we are supposed to be totally focused on sharing the gospel is kind of an oxymoron to me... I don't know! What do you think? (I do think it's great that the church is "hastening the work" but we definitely have needed more council than just "ope here is your Facebook account, now don't talk to your family, and don't scroll through the newsfeed, and don't talk to anyone unless it's about Christ." and blah blah etc.) do you see where I am coming from? So it's VERY good that the church is providing more direction and council with the digital media. I am a fan. 

So our mission has had iPads and digital media for over a year now. And about 30 other missions have as well. Our missions have been being TESTED with media. (Which explains the lack of direction with social media) at least in my opinion. ha we are just like guinea pigs. Or I guess you could call us the digital media PIONEERS!! (I like that one) Well the church has decided to give digital media to more missions so now there will be about 88 missions with iPads and media. (Mom and Dad this explains why you had to go to that meeting about iPads) we have been using church owned iPads but now everyone has to pay for their own! Interesting right? Well anyways back to my thought. So yes. We were all basically called to repentance. NO scrolling. No chatting. No nothin. No being alone on your iPad. Share your FB password with your companion. Etc. (Which we already knew) but I guess it's been a problem for multiple missions and missionaries. So to many missionaries, this message was just a big giant sting!! Haha like a cut. As nephi explains it: "..wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center." 1 Nephi 16:2

Well I think this message from the general authorities was very good for all of us. We are doing a refresh/reset/restart with Facebook. So when we get our new iPads we won't have Facebook for a little while. And we have to go through these different stages and then eventually we will be back on to share the gospel.  

I was ironically reading in The first few chapters of Jacob in the Book of Mormon (Jacob is telling the people to repent of their grossness and wickedness) and I felt as though it totally connected with the digital media situation. 

So I read that Jacob felt like he needed to "enlarge the wounds of those who were already wounded." Meaning bring to their attention that they needed to repent! His people were setting their hearts upon the riches of the world and they were having more than one wife. #sinners haha. Well here Jacob is.. commanded by God to bring this to their attention. I read that he was NOT too excited about telling them this. He said "Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts." Jacob 1-4 (I would feel the same as Jacob)  Well, I related this to the authorities that had to come and basically tell us all to repent about our digital media! They probably didn't really REALLY want to come and preach repentance unto us. But because they are called of God to do so, they did. 

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said " ..a message given by a General Authority at a general conference--a message prepared under the influence of the Spirit to further the work of the Lord--is NOT given to be enjoyed. It is given to inspire, to edify, to challenge, or to correct. It is given to be heard under the influence of the Spirit of the Lord, with the intended result that the listener learns from the talk and from the Spirit what he or she should do about it”

SO. In conclusion, I learned that the authorities that came to our mission, didn't come to entertain us or to bring us enjoyment. But they came to motivate us to CHANGE and to be better. Which In turn will make us happier. 

I know there are MANY messages in life we receive that maybe aren't the most enjoyable messages. (For instance, maybe the dentist told you that you need to floss because your gums are not lookin so good..) it's not like the dentist hates you..! And I don't think the dentist even WANTs to tell you that. But he DOES want to tell you because it will BEST HELP YOU. Same thing with parents parenting. Like maybe your parent made you clean your room... (Not fun right?) but who is it benefitting?? YOU. Get it?

It all comes back to God wanting us to be happy. Sometimes we need to hear the hard messages and feel that motivation to be better. So next time you feel irritated with someone's council to you or their advice... Maybe just humbly think of the big picture and try to change for the better. I don't know. That's what my thoughts have been. :)

I love Jesus Christ. I love Heavenly Father. I LOVE my mission. And I love who I am becoming. 

CTR

Love you so much

Love, Sister Abbey Dunford 

training and stuff

Hey Family and Friends! 

How is everyone. 

I'm real goody :)

P DAYS ARE THE BEST. 

Today I'm taking Sister Spencer to Rockefeller Center and to shop on 5th avenue. Then to the 9/11 memorial. And I will take her to the BEST cookie place she's ever been to. Hahaha. (Silly missionaries that think they can lose weight on the mission) not here in NYC man...

So my brand NEW companion is here!!! And we are a perfect match! Here's a little bit about her: 

She is from Salem UT. She went to Utah State before the mish. She is tall. She is HILARIOUS. My heck we laugh all day long. (It's so good when someone has the same humor as you) yesss. She is a great new missionary! We both love to shop!!! She and I both love Jimmy Fallon. And Taylor Swift. (Uh oh) haha. We are already waaaayy good friends!! We are super similar in the way we think and act. Haha I love her. SO GOOD SO GOOD. We have been SO busy together. I can't even explain how tired I am at nights. #exhausted. We are working hard. 

We had so many little miracles and tender mercies that happened!! 

I'm unsure how to even explain and what to say. 

So HERE are some Tender Mercies:

*We got a new investigator. From a media referral! (Meaning he requested missionaries from online) which was awesome. Taught him the restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon. 

*We got another one from tracting in the projects! FINALLY A WOMAN. I have been praying and praying that God would give us a woman to teach for once and HE DID!! So happy. (Not that I hate teaching single men.. It's just tricky to always have a 3rd female with us or 3 males) So yipeeee for teaching women!! 

*We met a new man on the subway who seems to be interested! (We hope his interest isn't just in us..but in the GOSPEL.) we will see where that goes. 

*We ate dinner at the most BEAUTIFUL apartment I've ever been in. My heck. (If only you could just see a sneak preview of the places and apartments I've been) SO DREAMY. 

*we taught the gospel principles lesson on Sunday and it was SWELL.

*we ate dinner with my favorite blogger and it was amazing. She's even better in person. Her family just kills me of cuteness. Her daughter wants to be a missionary just like ME when she grows up. 

*today I gave 2 haircuts so that was a happy moment! I love doing hair. 

*we have a meeting with the whole mission on Thursday for an Ipad meeting. How to better use our social media and online proselyting. One of the church authorities is coming to talk to all of us. So that'll be cool. 

*I am in the best mission in the world. 

SO. 

I have like zero time left. And I wish I could write more. (This email is LAME) But I wanted to leave one of the scriptures I've been thinking about a lot lately!! 

We ALL feel weakness. Every single person on the stinkin earth feels weakness. And this scripture goes RIGHT along with my thoughts of weakness and humility and it's just perfect for my thoughts! And it's a super popular scripture but it's a way good one. 

Ether 12:27 says: 

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

To shorten my thoughts.. (this doesn't even do it justice).. but if you feel weakness, KNOW that it's because we need to stay humble. And when we are humble, Christ's grace is sufficient for us. When we are humble, and when we allow the atonement to heal us, then our weaknesses are made our STRENGTHS! Who doesn't want that? I want my weaknesses to be my strengths! Everyone please go study that scripture!! It's so good!! So good so good! 

I LOVE YOU ALL

Sister Abbey Dunford